Vauxhall’s next generation of GSE performance cars will be fully electric

Vauxhall has announced its next generation of ‘GSE’ performance cars will be fully electric. And it has announced it by suggesting these new battery-electric performance cars will give drivers “the proverbial OMG feeling”. Indeed.

TopGear.com is not aware of any adult with the capacity to spend upwards of £670 a month – or £42k+ - on a new performance Vauxhall who uses ‘OMG’ in regular parlance, but please let us know if you do.

In any case, these new cars promise more dynamism, braking and cornering performance across the board. “This demonstrates how powerful, exciting, and inspiring battery-electric mobility can be,” said Vauxhall/Opel chief Florian Huettl.

We do not know exactly how much power they will generate, but likely more than this current generation – 222bhp in the Astras, and 296bhp in the Grandland. They’ll also offer “a chassis set-up that directly integrates the driver and offers exciting driving pleasure”.

Going battery-electric means binning off the current generation of plug-in hybrid GSE models first launched back in 2022, as seen in the Astra, Astra Sports Tourer (estate), and old Grandland.

In those cars, GSE – which stands for ‘Grand Sport Electric’ – meant a 1.6-litre four-pot petrol matched up to a small battery and electric motor, along with a bespoke chassis tune to record… mixed results. Not mixed enough to warrant an OMG, mind. More as we get it.